Tube end-flaring mechanism



P 24, 1940- J. K. M. HARRISON 2,215,789

TUBE END-FLARING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l N ESSES: l N V EN TOR:

A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 24, 1940.

Filed Aug. 9, 1958 2 Sheets Sheet 2 All I 93 x Ea I 1 I All 3.9 g1

WITNESSES; INVENTOR;

John if. M Harrison A 7''] 'ORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 24, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,215,789 I TUBE ENn-FLAaiNG MECHANISM John K. M. Harrison, Ogontz, Pa.

Application August 9,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to tube end-flaring mechanism generally and, more particularly, aims to provide a novel means for cold flaring the ends of pre-formed container body shells to facilitate the application and sealing fixture therein of suitable end closures.

Other objects and ancillary advantages of the invention will appear from the following descriptive matter considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; While it is to be understood that the concluding claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents consistent with the state of the prior art.

In a typical embodiment of the invention, preferably adapted for operation upon suitably lined or unlined paper, fiber or analogous, container body shells use is made of a driven multipleroller device of tapering configuration which is appropriately moved into rotative coaction with the respectiveopen ends of the body shell toimpart a slight fiare to said ends.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a View in elevation of one practical embodiment of the invention as adapted for the 5 end-flaring of spirally-wound paper container body shells.

Fig. II is a View, partly in section, and partly in elevation, of the improved tube flaring head apart from its operating means and drawn to a 30 larger scale than the preceding illustration; and,

Fig. III is a section on the plane III-III of Fig. II.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the structural means illustrated comprise a suitable standard I having a foot-piece 2 for rigid attachment to the stationary bed 3; of a machine for making, filling and sealing paper, fiber or analogous containers, for example, such as forms the subject-matter of the present inventors co-pending application for a patent, Serial No. 168,345, filed October 11, 1937. In the prior application referred to, the stationary bed is designated (4) while (5) indicates a vertically movable section thereof or main table, herein characterized 4, whereas 5 are guide means between which the successive container body shells 6 are progressed, said parts, however, forming no features of the present invention.

Surrnounting the standard I is an appropriate table 1 for the support of an electric motor 8, for operating the flaring head, comprehensively designated 9 and hereinafter described in detail. Adjustable along the standard I is a bracket or diametrically-related member l0, one arm H of which is fitted with a transverse shaft l2 hav- 1938, Serial No. 223,797

ing at its outer ends suitable freely rotative pulleys l3, 13' about which are trained an endless belt or the like M, in turn driven by a correspending pulley I5 fixed on one end of the motor shaft IS. The remote portion of the endless belt tg5 or the like l4 passes around a coned or stepped pulley I! on a suitable shaft comprising rotary and non-rotary parts I8, I53, respectively, both mounted in the forked section IQ of the member Hi. It is to be noted the pulley I! is conveniently located in the fork 2H and enables variable speed driving of the shaft l8, and that said shaft it serves for rotating the flaring head 9, while. the part it accommodates raising and lowering of said head, as hereafter explained. The means for effecting raising and lowering of the flaring head 9 by aid of its supporting drive shaft I8, comprises a lever 22, pivoted at 23 to the upper part ill of said shaft, and fulcrumed at 24 to a link 25, inturn pivoted at 26 to the forked section it] of-the member H]. To one end of the lever 22 is pivotally attached, at 27, a link or rod 28 having its free end connected to a retractile spring 29 anchored at 30, within a socket or bore ti provided for the purpose in the member I ll. Adjustably coupled by a clamp-device 32 to the lever 22 is a suitable cable 33, passing over an idler CM attached to the stationary bed 3 and under an appropriate fixed sheave 35, with its free end secured at 36 to the vertically movable table 4.

The flaring head 9, as is known, comprises a body portion 311, for appropriate rigid attachment to the shaft l8, with a circumferential tapering groove 38 intermediate spaced flanges 39, 39, said groove affording a raceway for spaced tapering rollers 40, maintained in cooperative engagement therewith by a floating ring 4| having circumferentially spaced retainer-openings for said rollers.

Assuming, now, for example only, that the container body shell ti has a thermoplastic lining 42, and that it is appropriately moved into axial alignment below the flaring head 9, it will be readily understood that as the movable table 4 rises, a pull will .be exerted on the cable 33 which in turn rocks the lever 22 on its fulcrum 24, and simultaneously lowers the drive shaft 3, by aid of the non-rotary portion l8, and flaring head 9 into the body-shell confronting end. As the flaring-head body portion is rotated by the motor 8, through the means hereinbefore described, it follows that the rollers 40 and cage 4! will be stationarily retained relative to the shaft I8 until said rollers 40 impinge the inner circumferential edge of the body shell 6, whereupon their direction of rotation will be reversed while the cage 4| follows that of the shaft I8 due to the expansive reaction against said edge of the rollers 10 with incidental production of the slight flare 43, best shown in Fig. II, without in any way damaging the lining 42 or the shell body material, or the conventional spiral seam 44 therein. In practice it has been observed that during the formation of the flare 43 the body-shell 6 remains stationary and requires no holding means to prevent its rotation, also that immediately the flaring head 9 commences its return or upward stroke the flared body-shell 6 remains on the stationary bed 3 or automatically releases itself from any frictional hold by the rollers 40.

From the foregoing the obvious advantages of this invention will be clearly-apparent, and while there has been described one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood the same is not to be considered restrictive, as minor changes and other applications of the invention will naturally suggest themselves in adapting the samelto differing usage. Accordingly, the right is hereby reserved to all such possible modifications as may reasonably come within the scope of the following claims and the state of the prior art permits.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In mechanism for cold-flaring thermoplastic-lined paper, fiber or analogous material container body shells preparatory to applying and sealing endclosures therein, the combination of a rigid standard sustaining a two-part shaft including a rotary. and an axially slidably components, a flaring device comprising concentric converging elements one of which is fixed to the outer end of the rotary component of said shaft and the other is in the form of a floating ring with circumferentially spaced openings for retainer-reception of tapering rollers, means for driving the shaft rotary component at different speeds, means coactive with the shaft slidable component for moving an axially alignable container body shell into concentric relation with said device, and said floating ring and tapering rollers operating to restrain the body shell against rotation during formation of a slight outward flare around the confronting open end of the container body shell.

2. Mechanism in accordance with claim 1 for cold-flaring container body shell ends of the kind therein specified wherein the rigid standard is vertically disposed and is surmounted by a table affording support for a suitable motor, the twopart shaft is also vertical and its rotary portion has fixed thereon a multiple speed pulley, and said pulley is operatively coordinated by an endless drive and freely rotative idlers with a pulley on the motor shaft for constant rotation at predetermined speed.

3. Mechanism in accordance with claim 1 for cold-flaring container body shells of the kind therein specified wherein the flaring device comprises a body portion having a circumferential tapering groove defined by upper and lower,

spaced flanges, and a concentric cage member having circumferentially-spaced opening for retaining convergently-disposed freely-rotative individual rollers in operative coaction with the tapering groove aforesaid.

4. Mechanism in accordance with claim 1 for cold-flaring container body-shells of the kind therein specified wherein the means for moving I the flaring head comprise a lever pivotally-connected with the shaft axially slidable outer end 1 and also fulorumed by a link to the rigid standard, one end of said lever being under the influence of retractile means, and the other end of such lever being operatively coordinated to an independently activated reciprocatory means.

JOHN K. M. HARRISON. 

